Philadelphia City Seeks Original Quote to Commemorate Harriet Tubman Statue
In a move that aims to celebrate the legacy of abolitionist Harriet Tubman, the city of Philadelphia has launched an open call for writers to submit original quotes to be etched into the back of a soon-to-be-installed 15-foot statue of the iconic civil rights activist.
The city's office of arts and culture, Creative Philadelphia, is seeking a new quote that reflects on Tubman's impact on future generations and what it means to walk in her footsteps today. Submissions should be no more than two sentences and must be completely original, with no connection to existing individuals or entities.
A panel of city employees, the artist Alvin Pettit, and an unnamed Philadelphia-based writer will review submissions and select a shortlist of 10 quotes. The winning entry will be featured on the statue as "A Philadelphia citizen," but the writer's name will appear on the credit panel.
The 15-foot sculpture, which was approved in January 2024, will feature two quotes from Tubman on its base, alongside Pettit's design "A Higher Power: The Call of a Freedom Fighter." This design showcases Tubman in a majestic stance, calling upon her faith amidst fierce winds.
Tubman's actual quotes on the statue include "And I prayed to God to make me strong and able to fight" and "For no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasted."
The city's decision to launch this open call follows a temporary display of Tubman outside City Hall in 2022, which sparked the idea for a permanent statue. Although the original commission process was met with backlash due to its lack of transparency, Pettit's design was selected from five finalists after an open call.
The bronze sculpture is initially scheduled for completion by 2025, but no updates have been provided on when it might be installed.
Tubman's quotes reflect her unyielding spirit and determination, inspiring viewers to stand behind the statue and feel invited to follow in her footsteps.
In a move that aims to celebrate the legacy of abolitionist Harriet Tubman, the city of Philadelphia has launched an open call for writers to submit original quotes to be etched into the back of a soon-to-be-installed 15-foot statue of the iconic civil rights activist.
The city's office of arts and culture, Creative Philadelphia, is seeking a new quote that reflects on Tubman's impact on future generations and what it means to walk in her footsteps today. Submissions should be no more than two sentences and must be completely original, with no connection to existing individuals or entities.
A panel of city employees, the artist Alvin Pettit, and an unnamed Philadelphia-based writer will review submissions and select a shortlist of 10 quotes. The winning entry will be featured on the statue as "A Philadelphia citizen," but the writer's name will appear on the credit panel.
The 15-foot sculpture, which was approved in January 2024, will feature two quotes from Tubman on its base, alongside Pettit's design "A Higher Power: The Call of a Freedom Fighter." This design showcases Tubman in a majestic stance, calling upon her faith amidst fierce winds.
Tubman's actual quotes on the statue include "And I prayed to God to make me strong and able to fight" and "For no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasted."
The city's decision to launch this open call follows a temporary display of Tubman outside City Hall in 2022, which sparked the idea for a permanent statue. Although the original commission process was met with backlash due to its lack of transparency, Pettit's design was selected from five finalists after an open call.
The bronze sculpture is initially scheduled for completion by 2025, but no updates have been provided on when it might be installed.
Tubman's quotes reflect her unyielding spirit and determination, inspiring viewers to stand behind the statue and feel invited to follow in her footsteps.
! I mean, Harriet Tubman is like a total legend 
. I love that they're letting people submit their own quotes to add to the story. It's not just about remembering her past, but also about how she inspires us today 
. The fact that it's an open call means anyone can participate and share their thoughts 
. I'm sure we'll get some amazing submissions! Let's hope it gets done by 2025 like they say... fingers crossed 
. Can you imagine walking up to the statue and being moved by someone else's words? It's gonna be a beautiful tribute 
. Now they're leaving the quotes open for interpretation, which could spark some interesting conversations... especially if we consider the whole issue of 'representation' and how our history books are written 
. It's like, do we want to focus on the historical facts or create a new narrative that inspires future generations? It's a bit like what's happening in politics - where do we draw the line between progress and erasure? 
Anyway, I'm curious to see what kind of quotes people come up with... will they lean towards freedom and equality or something more nuanced? The city's trying to create a space for public discussion, but is it gonna be too open-ended? 
anyway i think its awesome that people are gettin involved & submitting their own quotes, cant wait 2 see what the city comes up with 
. Its gonna be dope to see these new quotes up there on the statue alongside Alvin Pettit's design, I'm imagining its gonna look so powerful and inspiring when its all done 
. I mean we already got two dope quotes from her original words on it, but addin some new ones can give people somethin else to relate to 
. Maybe we should see some new perspectives on freedom & empowerment? Idk, maybe the writers out there can bring somethin fresh & inspiring to the table 
The city is actually getting creative with it too, by having an open call for writers to submit original quotes - that's amazing! 
And I love how they're going for something that reflects her impact on future generations - we need more Harriet Tubmans in the world! 
What's even better is that the city is giving the credit to the writer who submits it, so we get to see some fresh voices out there. That's just awesome! 
. Still, her legacy is all about breaking free and fighting for what's right 
... I mean, who needs another one of these historical figures on display? We've got Harriet Tubman's quotes already etched into history, what more can we do? "For no man should take me alive" is pretty self-explanatory, don't you think? 
.